Bonus Epilogue #2
Sienna sprung up, nodding, and I helped her in. I stayed on the deck, watching the four people I loved to pieces as they explored the admittedly beautiful boat.
“How?” West asked, taking his eyes off his present long enough to meet my gaze. “How did you pull this off? You were at the shop all mor— You weren’t at the shop.”
“I wasn’t at the shop.”
“Was Preston not really sick?” my husband asked of the alleged emergency.
“Preston was never supposed to work today. Hadley opened and Glenda was always scheduled to come in,” I confessed. “They were in on it just in case you checked in at the shop.”
“And my mom and Thomas?” he asked.
“In on it.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “So you were, what? How’d you get the boat in the water? How’d you get it in the boathouse, for that matter? You been taking boat lessons behind my back?”
“No lessons yet,” I said with a laugh. “I figure we have a guy who knows how to drive.”
“That’s you, Daddy!” Nova yelled.
“That’s me.” West let out a happy howl that filled me with joy. He so deserved that happiness. “You can do pretty much whatever you set out to do, but pulling this into the boathouse without boat-driving lessons…”
“The boat was delivered to Jagger at the marina. He and Cade brought it over after you left this morning.”
“So Jagger’s in on it too,” West said. “I’m…” He shook his head yet again. “You got me good. I wasn’t expecting anything like this.”
“And we get new life jackets,” Scarlet said, and my pulse sped up.
“Tie-dye ones!” Nova shouted.
“Why are there six instead of five, Pressy?” Sienna, the quiet observer, asked.
Nova went directly under the arch and pointed up at each life jacket, which I’d carefully tied for effect. She pointed at the rainbow one, then the others as she went down the list. “One for me. One for Daddy. One for Pressy. One for Scarlet. One for Sienna. And a cute little baby one.”
West’s gaze locked with mine at that instant. He watched me intently, as if looking for confirmation. I couldn’t keep anything in, my emotions likely written all over my face in the form of a big, joyful smile.
“A little baby one,” I said. “For when the baby in my tummy’s born.”
West hopped out of the boat in less than a second and took both my hands, peering down at me with eyes that sparkled as they sought out confirmation. His brows shot up in question, and there was so much emotion in his eyes that it made my own emotions jam up in my throat. I merely nodded.
He pulled me into his arms and spun us slowly around, pulling another laugh out of me.
I was halfway conscious of the girls shouting in happiness and group-hugging in the boat. Next thing I knew, West’s lips were on mine.
As he lowered me back to the deck, he said, “Really? We’re having a baby?”
I nodded. “My doctor confirmed it Friday. It nearly killed me to keep it a secret until today.” As the girls continued to celebrate loudly, I added so only he could hear, “Maybe I should’ve waited for a private moment without the girls, but I”—I shrugged, feeling slightly worried all of a sudden—“couldn’t. ”
“We’re a family,” he said. “We’ll celebrate together. If, God forbid, anything goes wrong, we’ll weather that together too.”
“That’s how we do it,” I said, relaxing into him.
The girls had bounced into the bow, claiming their favorite seats as they debated whether they’d get a brother or a sister.
“I love you, West. Happy Father’s Day,” I said.
With damp eyes and a wide grin, he pressed his forehead to mine. “I love you too, Presley Aldridge. This is the best Father’s Day ever.”
“You like your present?”
“I love both of my presents. Five minutes ago I would’ve told you you couldn’t top the boat, but you topped the boat, love.”
Playing dumb, I said, “With the tie-dye life jackets?”
He let out a hearty laugh, sliding both arms around me and pulling me against him again.
“The tie-dye life jackets are perfect for our loud, growing family.” He shook his head.
“A few months ago, I was so determined to stay single. Then you came along and out-stubborned me, out-determined me, and wore me down until I smartened up and embraced the life of my dreams.” He paused and swallowed, visibly overcome. “Thank you, Presley.”
“The pleasure, dear husband, is all mine.”
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